Farewell to Florent – Remember the good times not the bad

Florent Malouda officially left Chelsea this week after the club let his contract expire to release him as a free agent. This is hardly surprising given that following the Champions League Final Malouda was frozen out at Stamford Bridge forced to train with the youth team with various attempts to sell him.

Unsuprisingly, Malouda could not find a wage that would match his high salary and he took the decision to stay at Chelsea rather than move against his will for a significantly reduced contract.

This is a brave move and one that was made famous by Winston Bogarde who spent around three years just waiting out his contract.

However Malouda was not Winston Bogarde, playing 239 times for Chelsea winning the League, FA Cup and Champions League with the club. Malouda took time to settle, signed by Mourinho he looked bright but months after signing the manager changed and his formed dipped. It would take two years for Chelsea fans to see him at his best and throughout his career he divided fan opinion due to be patchy form.

Yet when he was in form Chelsea were often in form and he was at his best under Carlo Ancelotti scoring 25 league goals and winning the double under the Italian.

He was heavily involved right up to politics got involved making 43 appearances in his final playing season at the Bridge including a sub appearance at the Champions League Final.

So rather remember Malouda for the last year and his patchy form I prefer to think of the 2010 double and the Champions League Final, not the greatest player to wear Blue but on his day a more than capable versatile left winger.